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e-ISSN: 2319-2380, p-ISSN: 2319-2372. Volume 8, Issue 7 Ver. II (July. 2015), PP 69-74
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Abstract: The study determined profitability of dry and rainy season okra production among women in
Ayamelum local government area of Anambra State, Nigeria. Purposive sampling technique was used to select a
total of 100 respondents. An interview schedule was used to collect data, while mean and gross margin (GM)
analyses were used for data analysis. Results of the findings showed that okra production had various potentials
such as less capital for establishment, low cost of production, quick cash return, high frequency of harvest, high
land utilization, can thrive well in varieties of soil among others. The GM analysis for okra production per 0.5
hectare of the farmers during 2013 rainy and dry season cropping showed profit margins of N 62,250 and N
74,450; 107.8% and 134.0% for percentage margins; and 2.08 and 2.34 benefit cost ratios, respectively. These
imply that okra production in both seasons is profitable but more in dry season. Serious problems identified
included: difficulty in harvesting, poor storage facility, poor extension services and poor access to credit among
others. It was recommended that improved packages for okra production, harvesting, processing and marketing
be introduced to farmers through extension services in order to increase productivity and income.
Keywords: Anambra State, Nigeria, okra production, profitability, women farmers
I.
Introduction
Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) is a flowering plant in the mallow family. It is valued for its edible
green pods. The economic importance of okra cannot be overemphasized. According to Uzowuru (2010) [1], all
parts of the okra plant are useful, its leaves and tender shoots which are equally rich in nutrients can be cooked
and eaten. The pods are either consumed in fresh or dried form. The edible portions of the pod are good sources
of protein as well as an ascorbic acid content of 20g\100g and high level of calcium, fiber ash; and mature seeds
contain about 21% of edible oil (Uguru, 2011) [2]. Okra is also a potential oil and protein crop which also has
an exporting value. It contains carbohydrate, protein and vitamin C in large quantities and the essential and nonessential amino acid it contains are comparable to that of soyabean (Adeboye and Oputa, 1996) [3]. Hence it
plays a vital role in human diet. It commands a high market price in Nigeria markets because it features daily in
the diet of most Nigeria.
However okras potential for research and contribution to enhanced livelihoods according to National
Academies Press (NAP, 2006) [4] included the following criteria: Food and nutritional security- Pods contain
high amounts of dietary fiber and they are often dried, stored, and consumed as soup/souse much like a staple
food; market/income security- because it can easily be dried, mould (powder) and stored for long periods (unlike
perishable vegetables), producers, and processors are better able to add value and take advantage of seasonal
fluctuations in price; and other industrial uses.
Okra is a potential oil and protein crop which also has an exporting value. All parts of the okra plant
are useful, its leaves and tender shoots which are equally rich in nutrients can be cooked and eaten. The pods are
either consumed in fresh and dried form. The edible portions of the pod are good sources of protein as well as
ascorbic acid content of 20g/100g and high level of calcium, fiber, ash, mature seeds contain about 21% of
edible oil (Uzowuru, 2010) [1]. Immature okra pods are commonly consumed as a vegetable. In addition, okra
has attributes that could permit it to be used for other purposes. Leaves, buds, and flowers are edible; dried seeds
could provide oil, protein, vegetable curd, and a coffee additive or substitute (Adeboye, Awokoya and Oluseyi,
2009) [5].
In Nigeria, there are two distinct seasons for okra production, the peak and the lean seasons. During the
lean (dry) season, okra fruit are produced in low quantities, scarce and expensive to get. In the peak (peak)
season, it is produced in large quantities much more than what the local populace can consume (Farinde,
Owolarafe and Ogungbemi, 2009) [6]. Alimi (2005) [7] in his study of economics of mono cropping okra under
tropical conditions during the rainy and dry seasons found that the highest ranked constraints to okra production
were low output prices and high perishability in the rainy season and moisture stress and scarcity of cultivable
farmland in the dry season.
DOI: 10.9790/2380-08726974
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Comparative Profit Analysis Of Dry And Rainy Season Okra (Abelmoschus Esculentus)
Okra production is one of the major primary sources of cash income for farmers especially women in
Ayamelum local government area of Anambra State, Nigeria. The women engage in production of various crops
such as rice, plantain/banana, okra, maize and cassava. However, these women are highly involved in both dry
and rainy season okra production. The question now is: What potentials do okra production has and how
profitable is it? What problems militate against its production in the study area? The possible answers are what
this research seeks to provide.
II.
The main objective of the study was to determine profitability of dry and rainy season okra production
among women in Ayamelum local government area of Anambra State, Nigeria. Specifically the study was
designed to:
1. examine potentials of okra production;
2. compare cost and return of okra production of the farmers in dry and rainy seasons; and
3. identify problems of okra production in the study area.
III.
Methodology
DOI: 10.9790/2380-08726974
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Comparative Profit Analysis Of Dry And Rainy Season Okra (Abelmoschus Esculentus)
The problems militating against okra production in the study area were identified. To fulfill this, the
respondents were asked to indicate on a 3-point Likert type scale, how serious by which each of the various
problems militates against okra production. Their response categories were: very serious (VS) = 3; serious (S) =
2; and not serious (NS) = 1. These values were added to obtain a value of 6 which was divided by 3 to get a
mean score (M) of 2.0. The respondents mean were obtained on each of the items. Any mean score (M) 2.0
was regarded as very serious problem affecting okra production; while any mean score (M) < 2.0 was regarded
as not serious problem.
3.4 Data analysis
Objectives 1 and 3 were achieved using mean, while objective 2 was analyzed using Gross Margin
(GM) analysis.
IV.
Mean (M)
3.80*
3.68*
3.26*
3.60*
4.00*
3.00*
3.46*
3.26*
1.48
1.94
2.92*
3.76*
2.98*
2.72*
2.98*
3.04*
4.2 Cost and return of 0.5 hectare of okra production for 2013 planting season
To realize profitability of okra production, a specific unit of land (0.5 hectare) was used to compute
cost and return of okra production of the farmers in both rainy and dry seasons for 2013 cropping season. The
variables considered and used for comparison in both rainy and dry season okra production were variable cost,
yield, revenue, gross margin and benefit-cost ratio (BCR).
4.2.1 .Variable cost
Table 2 clearly reveals that the total mean variable cost for okra production per 0.5 hectare of the
farmers during rainy season cropping was N 57,750 while that of dry season was N 55,550. This implies that the
cost incurred by farmers in okra production in 0.5 hectare during rainy season cropping is slightly higher than
that of dry season. The findings also indicate that the total variable costs of okra production in both cropping
seasons are generally low and this may be one of the reasons for engaging in the enterprise. This is in agreement
with the earlier observation of this study that okra production requires low capital for start-off or establishment.
DOI: 10.9790/2380-08726974
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Comparative Profit Analysis Of Dry And Rainy Season Okra (Abelmoschus Esculentus)
4.2.2 Revenue/yield
Data in Table 2 show that total mean revenue per 0.5 hectare of okra production of the farmers during
rainy and dry seasons were N 120,000 and N 130,000, respectively. The total revenue of okra was got from the
sale of an average 30 number of 60kg-size raffia baskets at the average price of N 5,000 per basket during rainy
season for 12 native weeks (4 market days = 1 native week), while sale of an average 20 number of 60kg-size
raffia baskets at the average price of N 6,500 per basket during dry season for 8 native weeks. The figures
indicate that the revenue generated from okra production during dry season is higher than that obtained during
rainy season, although higher yield is obtained during rainy season. This implies that okra production attracts
high income in both season but higher in dry season. The findings are in line with Bamire and Oke (2003) [10]
which observed that okra yield was higher during the rainy season, while higher total revenue was obtained
under dry season conditions.
4.2.3 Gross margin, percentage margin and benefit/cost ratio (BCR)
As a result of the total variable cost-total revenue interactions in Table 2, the outcome shows a profit
margin of N 62,250 and N 74,450 for okra production during rainy and dry seasons, respectively; while the
percentage margin for okra production during rainy and dry seasons was 107.8% and 134.0%, respectively. Also
further analysis in the same table indicates that benefit/cost ratio (BCR) per 0.5ha of okra production were 2.08
and 2.34 for rainy and dry seasons, respectively. This means that for every Naira invested in okra production
during rainy season, the farmer realizes N 2.08, while farmer realizes N 2.34 during dry season. This implies
that okra production during dry season is more cost effective than during rainy season, although both seasons
compared are lucrative and profitable. It is concluded that okra production in both seasons is profitable but more
in dry season, hence the reasons for engaging in the production as it can serve as an additional source of revenue
for households in the area.
This is in agreement with Alimi (2005) which observed that monocropped okra production was
profitable in both seasons, but profits were higher in the dry season. Also, in line with this, Edet and Etim
(2010) [11] indicated from profit analysis carried out that okra production is profitable with an average profit of
N35, 781.7 per hectare; and commends a high market price in Nigeria markets because it features daily in the
diets of most Nigerians.
Table 2: Average variable cost and returns per 0.5 hectare of okra production
for 2013 rainy and dry season cropping
Rainy Season
Unit price N
Operation/Item
Unit
Qty
Planting materials
Rent on land
Land clearing
Herbicide (round up)
Fertilizer (Urea)
Insecticide
Sowing
Manual/chemical weeding
Cost of agro-chemical application
Feeding of labour
Harvesting (plucking)
Handling &transportation
Total variable cost/ 0.5ha
Total revenue per 0.5 hectare
Milk cup
plot
chain
litre
kg/bag
litre
man-day
man-day
times
man-day
man-day
60kg basket
35
1
8
3
1
1
3
2
4
30
12
24
150
2000
800
850
5500
1000
1000
1000
500
100
2000
150
60kg basket
24
5000
Total Value N
Qty
5250
2000
6400
2550
5500
1000
3000
2000
2000
3000
24000
3600
57750
120000
35
1
8
3
1
1
3
2
4
30
10
20
62250
107.8
2.08
20
Dry Season
Unit
Total
price N Value N
150
5250
2000
2000
800
6400
800
2400
5500
5500
1000
1000
1000
3000
1000
2000
500
2000
100
3000
2000
20000
150
3000
55550
6500
130000
74450
134.0
2.34
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Comparative Profit Analysis Of Dry And Rainy Season Okra (Abelmoschus Esculentus)
were regarded as not serious problems. This implies that okra production in the study area is faced with some
serious problems and challenges.
The findings are in line with Edet and Etim (2010) [11] who identified insect and disease attack, bad
roads, lack of storage facilities, lack of improved varieties of seeds, insufficient capital, lack of extension
agents visit and lack of government assistant as major constraints that affect okra production. The findings
imply that extension services, credit facilities, mechanized method of harvesting and others are not enjoyed by
the okra farmers in the study area. The implication of this according to Farinde, Owolarafe and Ogungbemi
(2009) [5] is that production of okra will always remain stagnant and will not be improved, since improved
methods and practices taught by extension will not get to the farmers thereby not having access to improved
technologies involved in production, processing and preservation of okra, and this may cause them to continue
production at small-scale level. However, problems of okra production in Nigeria are insect pest infestations,
disease incidence and poor soil nutrient level (Olawuyi et al., 2010) [12].
Table 3: Mean distribution of identified problems militating against okra production in the study area
Problem
Mean (M)
SD
Difficulty in harvesting
2.44*
0.675
2.44*
0.705
2.40*
0.700
2.38*
0.753
2.30*
0.789
Insufficient land
2.28*
0.730
2.28*
0.757
2.24*
0.744
2.00*
0.820
1.72
0.809
Low productivity
1.72
0.784
1.66
0.772
1.66
0.772
Difficulty in marketing
1.58
0.731
1.52
0.707
V.
Conclusion
Farmers especially women highly engaged in both rainy and dry season okra production enterprises as
major source of income more than other crops because of its lucrative nature and various potentials such as less
capital for establishment, low cost of production, less managerial skills and ability, quick cash return and
turnover, high frequency of harvest, high demand by outsiders for industrial usage, high land utilization because
of intercrop, can be double cropped both rainy and dry season without irrigation, can thrive well in varieties of
soil, more drought tolerance and low incidence of crop failure among others. Also, the results of gross margin
(GM) analysis for okra production per 0.5 hectare of the farmers during 2013 rainy and dry season cropping
showed that okra production in both seasons is profitable and lucrative but more in dry season. However, rodent,
pest and disease infestation, difficulty in harvesting, poor storage facility, poor extension service, poor access to
credit and insufficient land among others were serious problems or challenges of okra production identified in
the study area.
It is recommended that efforts be geared toward making okra production more viable and lucrative in
the study area. This could be done by educating women farmers on how to increase their productivity, income
and sales through extension services. Here improved packages for okra production, harvesting, processing and
marketing should be introduced and farmers would be encouraged to embrace and adopt them for improvement
and commercialization. Also massive dry season okra production should be intensified through provision of
low-cost irrigation facilities to women okra farmers in order to increase production and income. There is also
the need for women to have good access to loan facilities with low interest rate in order to motivate them into
practicing commercialized okra farming. This should be made available to them by stakeholders such as
governments, CBN, donor agencies, etc. through formation of viable co-operatives.
DOI: 10.9790/2380-08726974
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Comparative Profit Analysis Of Dry And Rainy Season Okra (Abelmoschus Esculentus)
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